--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When Gansey was polite, it made him…" description: "\"When Gansey was polite, it made him powerful. When Adam was polite, he was giving power away.\" — Maggie Stiefvater" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b94/maggie-stiefvater-76_adam_when-gansey-was-polite-it-made-him-power_390475.png" --- # When Gansey was polite, it made him powerful. When Adam… ![“When Gansey was polite, it made him powerful. When Adam was polite, he was giving power away.” quote by Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b94/maggie-stiefvater-76_adam_when-gansey-was-polite-it-made-him-power_390475.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b94/maggie-stiefvater-76_adam_when-gansey-was-polite-it-made-him-power_390475.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b94/maggie-stiefvater-76_adam_when-gansey-was-polite-it-made-him-power_390475.png) > “When Gansey was polite, it made him powerful. When Adam was polite, he was giving power away.” [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Politeness can be a source of personal power, while being overly polite may relinquish authority to others. **In simple terms:** Politeness can empower or diminish you. Key Takeaway Use politeness strategically. Themes social dynamics power communication personal development Mood thoughtful motivational Type advice psychological When to use this quote - leadership training - conflict resolution - personal relationships Key Concepts assertiveness boundary setting social influence Questions to Reflect On - When does politeness become a weakness? - How can we balance kindness and authority? A Different Perspective Politeness alone may not guarantee power without competence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Gansey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gansey/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Polite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polite/) ## Related quotes > [“Ronan, taking in Blue’s posture and Gansey below, observed, “If you spit, Blue, it would land right in his eye.” Gansey moved to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/ronan-taking-in-blue-s-posture-and-gansey-below-observed-if-you-spit/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [While I'm gone," Gansey said, pausing, "dream me the world. Something new for every night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/while-i-m-gone-gansey-said-pausing-dream-me-the-world-something-new/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [You are being self-pitying." "I'm nearly done. You don't have much more of this to bear." "I like you better this way." "Crushed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/you-are-being-self-pitying-i-m-nearly-done-you-don-t-have-much-more/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“I never taught him to break his thumb." "That's Gansey for you. Only learns enough to be superficially competent." "Loser," Ronan agreed, and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-never-taught-him-to-break-his-thumb-that-s-gansey-for-you-only/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [There's a metaphor for the American public in here," Gansey murmered darkly, "but it escapes me at the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/there-s-a-metaphor-for-the-american-public-in-here-gansey-murmered/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Gansey leaned back, head thrown to the side, drunken and silly with happiness. "I love this car," he said, loud enough to be heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/gansey-leaned-back-head-thrown-to-the-side-drunken-and-silly-with/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Is that all?" she whispered. Gansey closed his eyes. "That's all there is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/is-that-all-she-whispered-gansey-closed-his-eyes-that-s-all-there-is/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Excelsior," Gansey said bleakly. Blue asked, "What does that even mean?" Gansey looked over his shoulder at her. He was once more, just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/excelsior-gansey-said-bleakly-blue-asked-what-does-that-even-mean/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“It wasn't that he expected to see the dead. All of the sources said that church watchers had to possess the second sight, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/it-wasn-t-that-he-expected-to-see-the-dead-all-of-the-sources-said/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Gansey had once told Adam that he was afraid most people didn't know how to handle Ronan. What he meant by this was that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/gansey-had-once-told-adam-that-he-was-afraid-most-people-didn-t-know/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [I like you better this way." For some reason, admitting this made her face go hot right away; she was very glad that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-like-you-better-this-way-for-some-reason-admitting-this-made-her/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“The key, Gansey found, was that you had to believe that they existed; you had to realized they were part of something bigger. Some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/the-key-gansey-found-was-that-you-had-to-believe-that-they-existed/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [There was nothing particularly intimate about the way they sat, but something about the scene made Gansey feel strange, like he’d heard an unpleasant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/there-was-nothing-particularly-intimate-about-the-way-they-sat-but/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [At one store, Gansey had started to pay for Blue's potato chips and she'd snatched them away. "I don't want you to buy me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/at-one-store-gansey-had-started-to-pay-for-blue-s-potato-chips-and/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Gansey turned the key. The engine turned over once, paused for the briefest of moments - and then roared to deafening life. The Camaro…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/gansey-turned-the-key-the-engine-turned-over-once-paused-for-the/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) ## More by Maggie Stiefvater > [Sam reached his hand toward mine and I automatically put my fingers in his. With a guilty little smile he pulled my hand toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/sam-reached-his-hand-toward-mine-and-i-automatically-put-my-fingers/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Once upon a time, there lived a boy, and he had to risk everything to keep what he loved. But really the story was:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/once-upon-a-time-there-lived-a-boy-and-he-had-to-risk-everything-to/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [I think-I need to ask an embarrassing question. Do you think I could borrow a pair of scrubs? I-uh-my pants-" "Oh!" Cried the poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-think-i-need-to-ask-an-embarrassing-question-do-you-think-i-could/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [We dance, we dance. You hold the thread of my soul. You spin, you spin. And you unravel the part from the whole. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/we-dance-we-dance-you-hold-the-thread-of-my-soul-you-spin-you-spin/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [It was the way she felt when she looked at the stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/it-was-the-way-she-felt-when-she-looked-at-the-stars/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Mum once told Dad that vices are only vices when looked at through the frame of society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/mum-once-told-dad-that-vices-are-only-vices-when-looked-at-through/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Why'd she leave so early? It's practically yesterday.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/why-d-she-leave-so-early-it-s-practically-yesterday/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [How long it takes us, each day, to know each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/how-long-it-takes-us-each-day-to-know-each-other/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“At least when he was at Aglionby he could turn over his papers to see the grades, concrete proof of his success at something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/at-least-when-he-was-at-aglionby-he-could-turn-over-his-papers-to-see/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [I'll cook the water...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-ll-cook-the-water/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“That's the one." In Puck Connolly's custody. That might be the last I see of that jacket.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/that-s-the-one-in-puck-connolly-s-custody-that-might-be-the-last-i/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“I asked,”Are you going to pick up next time I call you?” ”I did this time didn’t I?” “Say yes.” “Yes. Conditionally yes.”…... …”What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-asked-are-you-going-to-pick-up-next-time-i-call-you-i-did-this-time/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Tell me what it's like. The race." "What it's like is a battle. A mess of horses and men and blood. The fastest and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/tell-me-what-it-s-like-the-race-what-it-s-like-is-a-battle-a-mess-of/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“I felt a tickle on my skin; it took me a moment to realize that Cole was driving his die-cast Mustang up my arm.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-felt-a-tickle-on-my-skin-it-took-me-a-moment-to-realize-that-cole/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Happiness isn't something this island yields easily; the ground is too rocky and the sun too sparse for it to flourish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/happiness-isn-t-something-this-island-yields-easily-the-ground-is-too/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) [Explore all 1,564 Maggie Stiefvater quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) ## More Adam quotes > [Women rule the world. It's not really worth fighting because they know what they're doing. Ask Napoleon. Ask Adam. Ask Richard Burton or Richie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/women-rule-the-world-it-s-not-really-worth-fighting-because-they-know/) [Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/) > [The writings of latter-day prophets clearly teach that the sorrows and sufferings endured by Adam and Eve upon their leaving the Garden of Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-k-judd/the-writings-of-latter-day-prophets-clearly-teach-that-the-sorrows/) Daniel K Judd > [“Mary: Some call this "Eve's curse," but I think that is stupid because the real curse of Eve was having to put up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/mary-some-call-this-eve-s-curse-but-i-think-that-is-stupid-because/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-career-has-to-be-looked-at-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [“Adam could imagine what he looked like: a debauched nerd.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-cullinan/adam-could-imagine-what-he-looked-like-a-debauched-nerd/) [Heidi Cullinan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-cullinan/) > [Adam Berenson knows how to compose, organize an ensemble, do musical research, play solo and trio piano, write for musical journals, and enlist others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/adam-berenson-knows-how-to-compose-organize-an-ensemble-do-musical/) [Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) > [“Finally, someone had seen him. And what had he done? Let her get away. Undermined by his disgusting human anatomy. It had just been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/finally-someone-had-seen-him-and-what-had-he-done-let-her-get-away/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“I’d think there are degrees of greatness,” Adam said. “I don’t think so,” said Samuel. “That would be like saying there is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-d-think-there-are-degrees-of-greatness-adam-said-i-don-t-think-so/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [An ineffably holy God, who has the utmost abhorrence of sin, was never invented by any of Adam's descendents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/an-ineffably-holy-god-who-has-the-utmost-abhorrence-of-sin-was-never/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [“think Adam is looking to break Kenji’s neck at this point.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/think-adam-is-looking-to-break-kenji-s-neck-at-this-point/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“Adam's lips are set in a grime line. I can't tell if he's about to cry or about to punch the guard. For his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/adam-s-lips-are-set-in-a-grime-line-i-can-t-tell-if-he-s-about-to-cry/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [And as regards Adam and Eve we must maintain that before the fall they were virgins in Paradise: but after they sinned, and were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-jerome/and-as-regards-adam-and-eve-we-must-maintain-that-before-the-fall/) [St. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-jerome/) > [Adam became so proud that he wished to become God and died for his pride; the Son of God humbled Himself unto death, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-kronstadt/adam-became-so-proud-that-he-wished-to-become-god-and-died-for-his/) [John of Kronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-kronstadt/) > [Oh, Adam was a gardener, and God who made him sees That half a proper gardener's work is done upon his knees, So when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/oh-adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-a-proper/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Barışı elde etmek için çabalayan her adam olağanüstü bir adamdır!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/bar-elde-etmek-i-in-abalayan-her-adam-ola-an-st-bir-adamd-r/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) Browse all 1,360 Adam quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When Gansey was polite, it made him powerful. 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